By: Robert Jamieson

There are a lot of unknowns in the 2013-14 women’s basketball Big East season. The top four teams from the Big East last year all moved to the American Athletic Conference, which will certainly shake up the final standings of the Big East this season. Of all the players who earned postseason All-Conference Honors last year, two of them are returning.

In addition, Xavier and Butler — the two teams moving from the A-10 to the Big East — didn’t have particularly great seasons.

1. DePaul’s junior guard Brittany Hrynko will be the Big East Player of the Year. Besides the fact that she was the 2012-13 Most Improved Player, she was also on the cover of the Big East’s Media Day Center Coverage. Don’t bet against the cover girl.

2. It’s hard to see Xavier finishing near the top of the Big East in its first year. Creighton and Marquette will be in a two-team race for Big East champion with the Blue Jays holding a slight edge.

3. The chances that Xavier sees one of its players earn a postseason all-conference team spot fall on the shoulders of senior guards Shatyra Hawkes and Ashley Wanninger. Hawkes will be a more likely candidate for end-of-the-year recognition and will hopefully earn a spot on the squad. Regardless, the Musketeers need both seniors to play well if they want to have success in the Big East.